Electronic vapor system

ABSTRACT

An electronic cigarette having a shell, an insert, and a mouthpiece component. The shell has a lid with a bracket on the lid&#39;s interior surface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be in an open position or a closed position. The insert has a power on/off switch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizer connection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity. At least one aperture in the shell exposes the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizer connection. The mouthpiece component is capable of being properly positioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for safer and more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not being used for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when the electronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent applicationSer. No. 61/896,774, filed on Oct. 29, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As expressed in Wikipedia, “An electronic cigarette (e-cig ore-cigarette), personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine deliverysystem (ENDS) is a battery-powered vaporizer which simulates tobaccosmoking by producing an aerosol that resembles smoke. It generally usesa heating element known as an atomizer, that vaporizes a liquid solutionknown as e-liquid. E-liquids usually contain a mixture of propyleneglycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine, and flavorings, while othersrelease a flavored vapor without nicotine . . . .

Most electronic cigarettes take an overall cylindrical shape although awide array of shapes can be found: box, pipe styles etc. Firstgeneration electronic cigarettes were usually designed to simulatesmoking implements, such as cigarettes or cigars, in their use andappearance. New generation electronic cigarettes often called mods, PVs(personal vaporizer) or APVs (advanced personal vaporizer) have anincreased nicotine-dispersal performance, housing higher capacitybatteries, and come in various form factors, including metal tubes andboxes. Many electronic cigarettes are composed of standardizedreplaceable parts that are interchangeable from one brand to the other,while disposable devices combine all components into a single part thatis discarded when its liquid is depleted. Common components include aliquid delivery and container system like tanks or cartomizers, anatomizer, and a power source.

Atomizer

An atomizer generally consists of a small heating element responsiblefor vaporizing e-liquid, as well as a wicking material that draws liquidin. Along with a battery, the atomizer is the central component of everypersonal vaporizer. Differences between atomizers cause differences inthe ingredients and their concentrations delivered to users, even whenthe same liquid is used.

A small length of resistance wire is coiled around the wicking materialand then connected to the positive and negative poles of the device.When activated the resistance wire (or coil) quickly heats up thusturning the liquid into a vapor, which is then inhaled by the user.

The electrical resistance of the coil, the voltage output of the device,the airflow of the atomizer and the efficiency of the wick playimportant roles in the perceived quality of the aerosol that is producedby an atomizer. They also greatly affect the quantity or volume ofaerosol that will be produced by the atomizer.

Atomizer resistances usually vary from 1.50 (ohms) to 3.00 from oneatomizer to the next but can go as low as 0.10 in the most extreme casesof DIY coil building which produce large amounts of vapor but couldpresent a fire hazard and other dangerous battery failures if the useris not knowledgeable enough about basic electrical principles and howthey relate to battery safety.

Wicking materials vary greatly from one atomizer to another but silicafibers are the most commonly used in manufactured atomizers.“Rebuildable” or “do it yourself” atomizers can use silica, cotton,rayon, porous ceramic, hemp, bamboo yarn, oxidized stainless steel meshand wire rope cables as wicking materials.

A wide array of atomizers and e-liquid container combinations areavailable.

Cartomizers

A “cartomizer” (a portmanteau of cartridge and atomizer) or “carto”consists of an atomizer surrounded by a liquid-soaked poly-foam thatacts as an e-liquid holder. It is usually disposed of once the e-liquidacquires a burnt taste, which is usually due to an activation when thecoil is dry or when the cartomizer gets consistently flooded (gurgling)because of sedimentation of the wick. Most cartomizers are refillableeven if not advertised as such.

Cartomizers can be used on their own or in conjunction with a tank thatallows more e-liquid capacity. In this case the portmanteau word of“cartotank” has been coined. When used in a tank, the cartomizer isinserted in a plastic, glass or metal tube and holes or slots have to bepunched on the sides of the cartomizer to allow liquid to reach thecoil.

Clearomizers

Clearomizers or “clearos”, not unlike cartotanks, use a clear tank inwhich an atomizer is inserted. Unlike cartotanks, however, no poly-foammaterial can be found in them. There are a lot of different wickingsystems employed inside of clearomizers to ensure good moistening of thewick without flooding the coil. Some rely on gravity to bring thee-liquid to the wick and coil assembly (bottom coil clearomizers forexample) whereas others rely on capillary action and to some degree theuser agitating the e-liquid while handling the clearomizer (top coilclearomizers).

Rebuildable Atomizers

A rebuildable atomizer or an RBA is an atomizer that allows the user toassemble or “build” the wick and coil themselves instead of replacingthem by an off-the-shelf atomizer “head”. They also allow the user tobuild atomizers at any desired electrical resistance. The materialsneeded to “rebuild” the atomizers are usually much cheaper than theusual prefabricated replaceable wick and coil assemblies destined toclearomizers.

These atomizers are divided into three main categories; rebuildable tankatomizers (RTAs), rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs), and rebuildabledripping tank atomizers (RDATs).

Rebuildable tank atomizers (RTAs) are similar to clearomizers in thatthey use a tank or container to hold and bring liquid to the coil. Theyusually hold significantly more e-liquid than their RDA counterparts.

Rebuildable dripping atomizers (RDAs) on the other hand lack thecontainer section and hold very little liquid compared to RTAs, but areusually a lot smaller. They typically consist only of an atomizer“building deck” which can accept one or more coils and a “top cap” tocover the coils where a mouth piece can be attached. The user needs tomanually keep the atomizer wet by dripping liquid on the bare wick andcoil assembly, hence their name.

Rebuildable dripping tank atomizers (RDATs) combine features of bothRTAs and RDAs. They usually consist of a RDA build deck with a tank overthe deck held up by a spring. The user pushes down on the mouth pieceand liquid is then dripped onto the coils. This is unlike a RTA thatcontinuously feeds liquid to the wicks.

Power

Most portable devices contain a rechargeable battery, which tends to bethe largest component of an electronic cigarette. The battery maycontain an electronic airflow sensor whereby activation is triggeredsimply by drawing breath through the device, while other models employ apower button that must be held during operation. An LED to indicateactivation may also be employed. Some manufacturers also offer acigarette pack-shaped portable charging case (PCC), which contains alarger battery capable of charging e-cigarettes. Devices aimed at moreexperienced users may sport additional features, such as variable poweroutput and support of a wide range of internal batteries and atomizerconfigurations and tend to stray away from the cigarette form factor.Some cheaper devices use a microphone to activate. Other batteries, likeEgo type batteries, can use a custom integrated circuit to indicatebattery status on the included liquid crystal display and a button toactivate.

Variable Power and Voltage Devices

Variable voltage or power personal vaporizers are devices that contain abuilt in electronic chip that allows the user to adjust the power thatgoes through the heating element. They usually incorporate a LED screento display various information. Variable PVs eliminate the need toreplace an atomizer with another one of lower or higher electricalresistance to change the intensity of the vapor. They also featurevoltage regulation and some battery protection.

Some of these devices offer additional features through their menusystem such as: atomizer resistance checker, remaining battery voltage,puff counter, activation cut-off etc.

Mechanical Personal Vaporizers

Mechanical PVs or mechanical “mods”, often called “mechs” are deviceswithout electronic components and battery protection (apart from ventholes drilled in some mechanical devices) or voltage regulation. Becausethere is neither protection nor regulation, they will work either waythe battery is inserted. They are activated by spring loaded or opposingmagnetic mechanical switches, hence their name. They rely on the naturalvoltage output of a battery and the material that the mod is made of.

They are commonly used with “low resistance” (1.0Ω-0.2Ω) rebuildableatomizers. Seeing that most e-cigarettes containing electronic batteryprotection will interpret sub ohm resistance coils as a short circuit,thus prohibiting the device from being activated, mechanical mods areamong the only devices that will accept such atomizer resistancesalthough more recent (2013) electronic devices offers this possibilityas well.

Since mechanical PVs are unregulated and unprotected, they requirespecial attention on the user's part that other regulated and protectedPVs do not need. Making sure that the battery does not over-dischargeand that the atomizer will not require more amperage than what thebattery can safely allow are the user's responsibilities.”

As identified above, the basic components of an electronic cigarette arewell known and are incorporated into the present invention. Thosecomponents will not be discussed at length in in the detaileddescription of the invention since they are common ordinary componentsused in most, if not all, electronic cigarettes. What is not disclosedis an effective device and method to protect the atomizer from beingdamaged while being carried in the user's pocket, purse, hand, orequivalent thereof when not being used for “smoking” purposes.

As identified above, the atomizer attaches to a conventional electroniccigarette. Electronic cigarettes, with the atomizer attached, are“smoked” and then normally stored in unsanitary environments likepockets, purses or equivalents thereof. The atomizer directly contactsthose unsanitary environments and as a result transfers the particlesfrom the unsanitary environment to the user's mouth when the user electsto remove the electronic cigarette from the unsanitary environment andelect to take a “puff.” A crux of the current invention is to properlystore the atomizer with remainder of the electronic cigarette to avoidunnecessarily breaking the atomizer and retain everything in a moresanitary casing environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic cigarette having a shell, an insert, and a mouthpiececomponent. The shell has a lid with a bracket on the lid's interiorsurface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be inan open position or a closed position. The insert has a power on/offswitch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizerconnection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storagecavity. At least one aperture in the shell exposes the power on/offswitch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizerconnection. The mouthpiece component is capable of being properlypositioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for saferand more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not beingused for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when theelectronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a-e illustrate different embodiments of the shell in the closedposition.

FIGS. 2 a-e illustrate FIGS. 1 a-e from a different angle.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of FIG. 1 a taken along the lines 3-3 andwhich are representative samples of the insert in the shell.

FIG. 4 is an alternative version of the insert in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an generic electrical schematic of the claimed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention utilizes the above-identified conventionalcomponents in a different configuration to obtain a safer, more sanitaryelectronic cigarette product.

Casing Structures

The current embodiment of an electronic cigarette 10 has an exteriorcasing (identified as 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d, 12 e respectively in FIGS.1 a-e). The casing 12 a-e is preferably made of metal, preferably brass,and manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company. In particular, thecasing 12 a is similar to the famous Zippo Manufacturing Company's BLUbrand pyrophoric lighter design except for a few modifications. As withZippo Manufacturing Company's classic, original pyrophoric lighterdesign, the casing 12 a-e is designed to receive a removable insert30—which will be discussed in greater detail below.

Common features of each casing 12 a-e include a top section 14 a-econnected to a bottom section 15 a-e by a hinge 16—a two, three, four,five, six part or more part hinged system. Top section 14 a (asillustrated at FIG. 2 a), bottom section 15 a (as illustrated at FIG. 2a) without apertures—discussed in greater detail below—and hinge 16 (asillustrated at FIGS. 2 a-e) have been made by the Zippo ManufacturingCompany since the 2000's or a variation thereof since the 1930's.

The shell 12 a-e has the bottom section (a.k.a., base) 15 a-e and thetop section (a.k.a., lid) 14, connected by the hinge 16. A bracket 220,as illustrated in FIG. 3, is secured to an inner wall 221 of the lid 14a-e for reasons to be described below. The base 15 a-e has a base lip260, a rear wall 280, a front wall 300, and two side walls—hinged sidesurface 20 and non-hinged side surface 20 a. The bottom section 15 a-b,and e has a floor 240; while the bottom section 15 c, d is a tubularpiece having a lower lip 261 that allows an insert 30 with a ledgesection 31 to be pushed into, in relation to the hinge 16, the distalend 32 of the bottom section 15.

The lid 14 a-e has a roof 322, a roof interior surface 322 a, a lid lip320, a rear wall 340, a front wall 360, and two side walls—lip hingedside surface 920 and lip non-hinged side surface 920 a. The lid 14-a-ehas sufficient distance between the insert 30 and the roof interiorsurface 322 a to allow a mouthpiece component 99 to be positioned in amouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 on a top surface 97 of the insert30 and allow the lid 14 a-e to be in a closed position 989 asillustrated in FIGS. 1 a-e and 2 a-e.

As previously expressed, the casing 12 a as illustrated at FIG. 1 a isthe same or about the same size as Zippo Manufacturing Company's Blubrand lighter product with a few modifications. The casing 12 b and e asillustrated at FIGS. 1 b and e, and the exposed casing 12 d and insert30 as illustrated at FIG. 1 d, each has a height of about 3 inches, awidth about 2 inches and a depth of about ⅞ inches. The bottom section15 b, e is shorter than the bottom section 15 c; likewise the topsection 14 b, e is longer than the top section 15 c to obtain thedesired size. In the metal casing 12 c illustrated in FIG. 1 c, thebottom section 15 c is tubular and is about ⅞ inch square.

Aperture Positions

On the hinged side surface 20 is a power switch aperture 21, a more heatswitch aperture 22, and a less heat switch aperture 23 as illustrated atFIG. 2 a. At FIGS. 2 b-c, the hinged side surface 20 has the powerswitch aperture 21, and a LED display aperture 24 that exposes an LEDdevice, a more heat switch and a less heat switch—which will bedescribed in greater detail below—from the insert 30.

At FIG. 2 d, the hinged side surface 20 has the LED display aperture 24that exposes the LED device, the more heat switch and the less heatswitch—which will be described in greater detail below—from the insert30; and a bottom surface 555 of the insert 30 has the power switchaperture 21 and an atomizer connector 52.

At FIG. 2 e, the non-hinged side surface 20 a has the LED displayaperture 24 that exposes the LED device, the more heat switch and theless heat switch—which will be described in greater detail below—fromthe insert 30; and the floor 240 has the power switch aperture 21 andthe atomizer aperture 51.

The positioning of the apertures and connectors need not be in the orderas illustrated. For example the more heat switch aperture 22, theatomizer aperture 51, the atomizer connector 52, the less heat switchaperture 23, power switch aperture, and LED display aperture may be anyof the above-identified positions or in different locations on thehinged side surface 20 or other surfaces of the exterior casing.

Alternatively, the casing 12 a-e can have a re-charging aperture 53 (seeFIG. 2 a) and the insert 30 would then have a re-charging outlet 54 thatcorresponds to the re-charging aperture 53; or the ledge section 31 ofthe insert 30 or the insert's top surface 97 can have a re-chargingoutlet 54 (see FIG. 2 d). The corresponding re-charging aperture 53 andthe re-charging outlet 54 can be positioned anywhere on the respectivedevice 10.

The various apertures and positioning of those apertures on the casing12 a-e are to promote a smooth, comfortable feeling to the user in theirpocket, purse, hand, or equivalents thereof; and positioning while“smoking”. The apertures can be vertical—in particular for the atomizeraperture 51—, or beveled—in particular the other apertures—such that thebeveled apertures on the casing's 12 a-e exterior surface 41 protrudesdownwardly and inwardly to the casing's 12 a-e interior surface 42. Thebeveled aperture opening is preferred for the other apertures because itdecreases the chances that the casing 12 a-b will inadvertently latch orsnag to anything.

Insert

The insert 30 is a material that contains a conventional battery usedfor electronic cigarettes 130, a power on/off switch 132, a more heatswitch 134, a less heat switch 136, the atomizer connector 52 andoptionally a LED display 138. Insert 30 is designed to be inserted intothe casing 12 a-e and in most embodiments, removed. When properlyinserted, the power on/off switch 132, the more heat switch 134, theless heat switch 136, the atomizer connector 52 and optional the LEDdisplay 138 are aligned with, respectively and when appropriate, thecasing's power switch aperture 21, more heat switch aperture 22, lessheat switch aperture 23, atomizer aperture 51, and LED display aperture24. The electrical circuitry that interconnects the power on/off switch132, the more heat switch 134, the less heat switch 136, the atomizerconnector 52, the LED display 138, and the battery 130 are admittedlywell known to those skilled in the art.

As previously identified, the insert 30 also has a mouthpiece sanitary,storage cavity 98 on its top surface 97. The mouthpiece sanitary,storage cavity 98 is able to receive a mouthpiece component 99. When themouthpiece component 99 is properly positioned in the mouthpiecesanitary, storage cavity 98, the mouthpiece component 99 is not damagedby the lid 14 a-e because there is sufficient distance between (a) theinsert 30 and the roof interior surface 322 a and (b) the mouthpiececomponent 99 and the roof interior surface 322 a.

The insert 30 also has a tang 561 that engages with the bracket 220. Thetang 561 and bracket 220 are ensure the lid 14 a-e and the base 15 a-eremain in the closed position 989 or the open position 987 (see FIG. 3)until the user elects to alter the open/close position of the electroniccigarette 10. In addition, by utilizing certain (a) materials known toZippo Manufacturing Company, and (b) shapes for the bracket and thetang, the electronic cigarette 10 is able to generate the famous Zippoclick sound, that has been utilized in numerous movies to convey qualityU.S. manufacturing, when the lid 14 a-e is moved from the closedposition to the open position; the open position to the closed position,and from the closed position to the open position and back to the closedposition.

First Self-Contained Atomizer/Liquid Container

The mouthpiece component 99 can be a self-contained atomizer and liquidcontainer that is equivalent to, for example and not limited to,Lorillard's trademark infringing blu brand cartridges. When theelectronic cigarette 10 is directed to utilize the mouthpiece component99 as a self-contained atomizer/liquid container manufactured by a thirdparty, the mouthpiece component 99 is threaded into the atomizerconnector 52 prior to the user wanting the “smoke”. To “smoke” using theelectronic cigarette, the user presses the power on/off switch 132 andbegins to smoke. The power on/off switch 132, depending on theconventional electrical schematics, the power on/off switch 132 has tobe (a) continuously contacted to allow the user to continue to smoke, or(b) switched on once, like a conventional light switch, for the user tocontinue to smoke and then switched off once to discontinue smoking. Forsafety reasons, the former method is preferred.

When the user has elected to store the electronic cigarette 10, the usershould detach the mouthpiece component 99 from the atomizer connector 52and properly position the mouthpiece into the mouthpiece sanitary,storage cavity 98 for safer and more sanitary environment.

The atomizer aperture 51 and/or atomizer connection 52 is located on,respectively, the bottom surface 555 or the floor 280 for ergonomicaland aesthetic reasons. For example, when a person elects to use theelectronic cigarette 10, the person should have the top section 14 a-eand bottom section 15 a-e in the closed position 989 as illustrated inFIGS. 1 a-e (1) so the top section 10 does not protrude into theperson's face and (2) to allow the electronic cigarette to becomfortably held in a hand.

The insert 30 has three distinct embodiments. The first embodimentexists when the electronic cigarette uses the self-containedatomizer/liquid container. The insert 30 then has a tang section 700, abattery section 710, and a storage section 720 as illustrated at FIG. 5and applicable to the embodiments of casings 1 a, b, d and e.

The tang section has (a) the tang 561 that operates as described above,(b) many of the conventional electronic and heating components used inelectronic cigarette devices, and (c) the atomizer connector 52.

The battery section 210 has (a) a hinged top surface 711 with a firstelectrical contact 712 on the top surface's interior side 714, (b) abattery cavity 716 that receives a conventional battery, rechargeable ornot, used for electronic cigarettes, and (c) a second electrical contact718 at or near the bottom of the battery cavity 716.

The storage section 720 has the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98that is capable of holding the self-contained atomizer/liquid containerin a more sanitary environment when the lid 14 a-e is in a closedposition 989 and the user is not smoking. The storage section 720 mayalso have electrical components therein, depending on the desiredergonomical and aesthetic concerns.

Distinct Mouthpiece Components

When the mouthpiece component 99 has a distinct mouthpiece for smokingdevice 979 and a liquid container 978 that allow the liquid container,as conveyed in FIG. 4, to be (1)(a) removed from the insert 30 or (b)permanently affixed in the insert 30 and (2) filled with a desired vaporliquid.

The atomizer aperture 51 (see FIGS. 2 a-b and e) or an atomizerconnector 52 (see FIGS. 2 c-d) is (i) on the bottom surface 555 or thefloor 280 because of ergonomical, practical, and aesthetic reasons. Whenthe insert 30 has the tang 561 that ensures the lid 14 a-e is in eitherthe closed position 989 (see FIGS. 1 a-e) or open position 987 (see FIG.3) due to the bracket 220, then the liquid container 987 is preferablypositioned near the non-hinged side surface 20 a in order to havesufficient room to remove the liquid container and/or fill the liquidcontainer with a desired vapor liquid.

The insert 30 also has a tang section 700 a, a battery section 710 a,and a storage section 720 a.

The tang section 700 a has (a) tang 561 that operates as describedabove, (b) many of the conventional electronic components used inelectronic cigarette devices.

The battery section 710 a has (a) a hinged top surface with the firstelectrical contact 712 on the top surface's interior side 714, (b) thebattery cavity 716 that receives a conventional battery, rechargeable ornot, used for electronic cigarettes, and (c) the second electricalcontact 718 at the bottom of the battery cavity 716.

The storage section 720 a has (a) mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98that is capable of securing or removably securing the liquid container978 and containing the mouthpiece 979 when the lid 14 a-e is in a closedposition 989 and therefore in a more sanitary environment (in relationto a user's pocket or purse) for the mouthpiece device 99 when the useris not “smoking”, (b) heating and electrical components that can bewithin the liquid container or outside the liquid container, and (c) theatomizer connector 52.

The storage section 720 may also have electrical components therein,depending on the desired ergonomical and aesthetic concerns.

Second Self-Contained Atomizer/Liquid Container

The insert 30 also has a tang/storage section 700 b, and a batterysection 710 b that is applicable to the embodiments of casing 1 c.

The tang section 700 b has (a) a tang 561 that operates as describedabove, (b) many of the conventional electronic components used inelectronic cigarette devices, and (c) the mouthpiece sanitary, storagecavity 98. The mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity 98 is capable ofholding the self-contained atomizer/liquid container in a more sanitaryenvironment (in relation to a user's pocket or purse) when the lid 14 cis in the closed position 989 and the user is not smoking.

The battery section 210, positioned below the tang section 700 b, has(a) a hinged surface 711 b with a first electrical contact 712 on thehinged surface's interior side 714, (b) a battery cavity 716 thatreceives a conventional battery, rechargeable or not, used forelectronic cigarettes, (c) a second electrical contact 718 at the bottomof the battery cavity 716, (d) some electronic components used inelectronic cigarette devices, and (e) the atomizer connector 52positioned at, relative to the lid 14 c, the electronic cigarette'sdistal end.

The lighter style Electronic Vapor System, as illustrated at the variousfigures, illustrates at various possible position of a battery unit andat least one cartomizer or clearomizer (collectively or individuallyreferred to as “cartomizer/clearomizer”) in an insert with a cam springwhen the cartomizer/clearomizer is being stored, and how the insert ispositioned in a lighter style casing, preferably a Zippo brand lightercasing wherein a cam spring associated with the tang, linked to theinsert, extends into the casing's flip top section. The casing's insertcontaining section has a bottom surface aperture. The bottom surfaceaperture corresponds with an insert's female cartomizer/clearomizerconnection. A user can thread or push a male section of thecartomizer/clearomizer (mouth piece device 99) into the insert's femalecartomizer/clearomizer (atomizer connection 52) connection. When themale section is positioned in the insert's female cartomizer/clearomizerconnection the male section is removably secured therein. Likewise, thebattery unit 130 can be (a) removed from the insert 30 and replaced witha comparable battery unit—for example, like replacing a battery unit ina calculator; or (b) non-removable from the insert without damaging theinsert. In either case, the battery unit could be a rechargeable batteryor a disposable battery—the former is preferred.

An alternative tube style version, illustrated at FIG. 1 c, contains asimilar removable battery carriage with switch and bottom aperture thatcontains the female cartomizer/clearomizer connection. The carriage isinserted into the outer case for use by the consumer. The top of thebattery carriage contains a storage aperture(s) to holdcartomizer/clearomizer as the user determines. The unit will have a camspring and cam that will be integral components of the battery carriageas per above. The battery carriage unit can be a complete self-containedbattery unit or can be an injection molded part that will hold aremovable and rechargeable standard size battery

Prior to, during, or after properly positioning the male section intothe female cartomizer/clearomizer connection, the user activates thebattery by activating the power switch. The power switch could be, forexample, a side switch on the insert that is exposed by the casingthrough a switch opening, the cam spring, or properly positioning themale section into the female cartomizer/clearomizer connection. In anycase, the battery, preferably a rechargeable battery, is on anelectrical circuit having at least one resistor to generate a sufficientamount of heat or energy that is transferred to the cartomizer'snicotine container. Once the nicotine container is heated to a desiredtemperature, the nicotine container delivers a desired intensity ofnicotine to the user who has positioned his or her mouth about thecartomizer's mouth piece—opposite the male section.

To recharge the battery, the insert or the casing and insert arepositioned on a standard re-charging system. As illustrated, there-charging may occur at the side switch through the casing switchopening or the insert's female cartomizer/clearomizer connection throughthe casing bottom surface aperture.

Alternatively, the shell 12 can have a liquid aperture that allows theuser to determine the quantity of liquid in the liquid container 978.

A conventional, generic fundamental electronic circuitry is illustratedat FIG. 5. The battery's power is transmitted to the power on/off switch132, which is connected to the more heat switch 134 and the less heatswitch 136. Depending on the desired heat switch switches selected, thepower is transmitted to the heaters/resistors that warm the vapor liquidto the desired temperature for smoking. The power then reverts to thebattery. The power may also pass through the optional LED display 138that displays the desired power, temperature or equivalents thereof.

Although embodiments of the invention have been described by way ofillustration, it will be understood that the invention may be carriedout with many variations, modifications, and adaptations, withoutexceeding the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic cigarette having a shell having a lid with a bracket on the lid's interior surface and a base connected by a hinge that allows the shell to be in an open position or a closed position; an insert having a power on/off switch, a tang, a more power switch and a less power switch, an atomizer connection, electronic circuitry, and a mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity wherein (a) the tang contacts the bracket in the shell's open position and closed position and (b) when the lid is in the closed position, the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity is enclosed in the shell; at least one aperture in the shell to expose the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, and the atomizer connection; a mouthpiece component capable of being properly positioned (a) into the mouthpiece sanitary, storage cavity for safer and more sanitary environment when the electronic cigarette is not being used for smoking purposes and (b) in the atomizer connection when the electronic cigarette is being used for smoking purposes.
 2. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has at least one beveled aperture to expose the power on/off switch, the more power switch, the less power switch, or combinations thereof.
 3. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has a bottom surface.
 4. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the base has an aperture to receive the insert.
 5. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece component is a self-contained atomizer/liquid container.
 6. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece component has a mouthpiece apparatus and a liquid container.
 7. The electronic cigarette according to claim 1 further comprises a re-charging outlet. 